14 DAY TRIAL // Renewables are meant to deliver a safer, cleaner alternative to dirty coal exploitation. However, this option was not good enough for a couple who decided to drag the owners of a wind farm to court, hoping to get their hands on no less than £2.5m ($3.9m/€2.9m).
They filled a case and hoped for justice to be served, evaluating the prejudice at more than two million pounds. Sarah Jane and Julian Davis said goodbye to their home in Lincolnshire four years ago and have now received a compensatory package meant to put an end to their suffering, Business Green reports. The final verdict was expected to be delivered yesterday by a judge from the High Court. Despite this fact, it seems that the parties reached to an agreement.
They did not want to reveal the exact numbers, but it appears the two claimers received the right amount of money meant to make them forget they were forced to abandon Grays Farm at Deeping St Nicholas near Spalding in Lincolnshire.
They decided to sue the owners of a local private 2MW wind farm, stating that its terrible sound had a disrupting impact on their daily life.
The defense argued that the two owners were “ overly sensitised” to the sounds coming from the wind turbines. Even if renewables represent a risk-free source of power, noise pollution is one of its most important disadvantages.
The fact that the parties settled out of court is a reason of excitement for the rest of the players in this industry. A verdict in favor of the complainants could have counted as a dangerous precedent for the entire market of alternative power.
At first, the couple wanted a court order to make the turbines shut down. Then they thought about estimating the financial value of their torment and came up with £2.5m ($3.9m/€2.9m). Because both parties want to keep the numbers confidential, we can't know for sure what wind project developers have to expect to pay from now on.
Even under these circumstances, officials from trade association RenewableUK say that these incidents are somehow welcomed, since they highlight the importance of a good collaboration between developing companies and members of local communities.